Cold as Ice and Firey as Hell
by black widow mistress
Summary: one shot . pre-canon . Joan/Arthur. She's always thought she could get past the fact that he's married, but sometimes she knows she'll worry about, grow a conscience, this is one of those times.


**Oh hey! so this happened. I own nothing but the plot. Which is kinda half assed if you ask me, but it's a pre-canon snippet, not a full series novel, so here we have it! I like reviews, as always :) anyway, enjoy!**

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Arthur looked at Joan and smirked. "You always this cold?" He asked causing her to glare at him before looking back at the magazine in hand.

"Nope" She answered sharply.

"You sure about that? Because all I see lately is a woman in her twenties wasting away the fun she should be having and too hung up on the rules" He replied.

Joan looked up from the magazine, her eyes narrowing at the man sitting in front of her.

"I'm a hell of a lot less _cold _when I don't feel like I'm going against every moral fibre I have, _and _when I'm not on assignment with you." She snapped before getting up and walking off.

"Where are you going?" He called after her.

"Anywhere but here, I think that cafe down stairs had food, I'm kinda hungry now that I think about it" Came the words from her mouth as she slammed the door behind her.

"Shit" Arthur said, his eyes still locked on the door.

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"Is this seat free?" Arthur asked, causing Joan to look up at him with a raised eyebrow.

"I'd assume so, I think the real question that needs posing however is, do I want you to sit on it?" She replied sweetly before flipping the page of her magazine and setting her cup back down on the table.

"I'm sorry for whatever I've done" He tried, unsure as to what exactly had brought the cold behaviour on in the first place.

"Oh, you're sorry? Sorry is what you should be telling Gina when she asks why you've been late home for the past month" She replied bitterly, her jaw set and her eyes narrowed.

"I... I didn't realise" he started.

"Didn't realise what? Didn't realise that I was a wake up to your womanising ways, Jesus Arthur, I thought we could have had something, then I sat down and thought about it, and I thought no, no this won't work, he's married Joan, you're smarter than this, and I am, I'm not another notch on your belt Arthur" She spat out fervently.

"Shit, look Joan, it's not what it looks like, it's not like that..." He said before being interrupted by her again.

"Not like what Arthur? You're married aren't you? Unless I have my facts wrong, so please, tell me what it's like for you, because I'd sure as hell love to know".

Arthur sat for a moment and looked at her, the side swept fringe and loose waves fitting perfectly with her pink cheeks and raspberry lips.

"I... I really like you Joan, and!" He said putting a hand up to motion her to let him finish. "I really like you, yes I am married, but god that's been over for at least a year, we barely even spend time in the same room these days, and you're, you. Smart, confident, strong, you're someone I admire, and you're also someone I have feeling for. I'm sorry if I made you feel cheap or anything with the way I handled it all in the beginning" He said solemnly, trying his best to convey the fact that he meant it, that this wasn't a joke and he was dead serious that he wanted to be with her.

"You'll be honest with her when the time comes? When you're sure you have no feelings left for her, you'll be honest?" she asked.

Arthur nodded.

"And you'll respect my wishes when it comes to us?" She added.

Arthur nodded again, a slightly confused look on his face.

"Good, I thought you would, you don't strike me as a man to sleep with another woman when he's still married.

Arthur stared at her open mouthed before speaking. "I wasn't planning on it."

Joan smiled at him, her raspberry lips curving enticingly.

"Never thought you were, just letting you know that I never picked you for that type of guy." She replied. "Now, I think we have a delivery to pick up down town and if I recall there's a really cute restaurant down the road from here, you can take me to dinner tonight, show me just how good at this courting thing you are" She said standing and grabbing her jacket; "Oh, and no funny business" She added before walking towards the door. "Well, are you coming?" She asked, causing him to follow suit.

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